Maple Leafs Trade Rumors: Toronto Linked to Flyers Center

The Toronto Maple Leafs are hanging on to a share of top spot in the Atlantic Division going into Wednesday's games playing a different style of hockey this season under new head coach Craig Berube.

The defence-first focus has, however, left the team in the bottom half of the league with just 2.97 goals per game. It's been apparent for most of the season that they will have to go out and obtain a third-line (or better) center at some point. Several names have made the rounds as to who GM Brad Treliving could target, and now the latest analyst to weigh in is none other than Paul Bissonnette — Biz Nasty himself.

Speaking on the Leafs Morning Take podcast, he suggests that Philadelphia Flyers veteran Scott Laughton, whose name has been on the rumor mill for some time now, would make an ideal fit for Toronto.

I think he plays a very hard game, and a very good 200-foot game... I heard he's a very likeable guy. He only makes $3 million. You probably would have to give up a pretty decent return to have him not only for this year (but also) next year at $3M.

Bissonnette went on to compare that type of move for Toronto as being similar to the kind of additions that the Tampa Bay Lightning have made in recent seasons for the likes of Blake Coleman and Nick Paul. Players that aren't the sexiest names out there, but play a good, solid two-way game, and contribute to winning, especially in the playoffs. He sees Laughton as that type of player.

He'd like to see the Leafs bring in "two more forwards like that, to solidify the group up top."